ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. toast — bread
  3. net — in sport
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rest — a break
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. net — after costs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rest — what's left
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bat — in an idiom

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com